RE: Our Previous Communications
by meggannn
Summary: Two months after the pharaoh leaves, Yuugi receives a handwritten letter in the mail.


**Title:** RE: Our Previous Communications  
**Summary:** Two months after the pharaoh leaves, Yuugi receives a handwritten letter in the mail._  
_**Genre:** Gen  
**Rating:** T for language  
**Word Count:** 5,500

**Notes:** This idea, then the draft, then the final product, have each sat on my hard-drive for ages because I haven't written YGO fic in a few years and I'm a bit nervous about coming back to this fandom. I wrote this because Tetsu Ushio (Trudge in the dub) seems to have used the years following the end of YGO DM to become a cop but we never really found out what happened to him after he went insane. We're just told in the manga/season 0 that he was taken to the hospital, and that in 5D's 20+ years later he's a cop and still picks on main characters. I was wondering how a guy goes from hall monitor to bully to presumable psychiatric hospital patient to motorcycle-riding security guard to friends with Yuusei Fudou. As usual when I don't understand something, I write fic of it.

This idea of having a bully reach out to whom he tormented post-canon belongs to Realmer06, who's written a lovely Harry Potter fic with Dudley and Harry that can be found on this website at story ID #4514308. This fic was greatly inspired by hers but I tried to go my own way with it for Yuugi and Ushio, of course.

I recommend reading this on AO3, since this website doesn't let me format the text the way I intended it to be read: the link is archiveofourown dot org / works / 1233469 . As always, feedback is greatly appreciated, especially considering it's been a while since I've written YGO. Thanks!

* * *

**RE: Our Ongoing Communications**

_Domino City_  
_107-0052 Uno Road, 1-10-5_  
_Kame Game Shop_  
_Mutou Yuugi_

Mutou:

This will probably get to you at an odd time. You should be getting ready for graduation. You probably don't want to think back to your first year since it was such a rough time for you. I mean I should know.

Wait, I'm sorry. That was probably rude or something. I've never really done anything like this before. Sorry.

I've always told myself that I would find you again when I felt I could handle myself. At first I was pissed, I wanted to come after you again after what you did to me. I still don't really understand it. I was scared and I hated you even more after what went down, whatever that was. Then I just wanted to ask you how you were able to do it. I've never been through something that scared me like that before. It wasn't like anything I'd ever experienced. I think I was just afraid of you.

But now I guess I just want to say that I hope things are okay. You probably don't want to talk to me. Even if you toss this in the trash, which I fully expect, I do hope that you're doing… well.

I'm okay now. I mean, I'm not crazy anymore. Maybe I never was. Maybe I just needed to reevaluate some things and you just showed me that. I'm not sure. But I'm not going to do that kind of thing anymore, what I did to you. I'm sorry I ever did.

I just wanted to let you know.

Tetsu Ushio

* * *

_Domino City_  
_89-9322 Akasaka Street, 1-76-2_  
_Ushio Tetsu_

Ushio,

I'm very sorry the thought of me has been troubling you all this time. Please don't worry about it.

I hope you're doing well.

Take care,

Yuugi Mutou

* * *

Mutou,

You haven't been troubling me, exactly. It's just that you were the last person I saw before I got put in, so the doctors kind of thought it meant something. I don't know. But never mind, forget it. I'm sorry I brought it up.

Ushio

PS – You're a bigger man than I am. I don't think I'd be able to forgive someone that easily.

* * *

Ushio,

I realized shortly after I sent it that my previous message probably seemed a bit irritated or sarcastic and that may have given the wrong impression. That's not what I was trying to get across so I want to clear something up:

Despite all of the history between us, I want you to know I don't hold any ill will. I am genuinely glad that you're better and hope things continue to go well. If contacting me is part of some sort of therapy or treatment, I completely understand. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

How are you?

Best,

Yuugi

PS – I've had to reevaluate some things over the past few years, too. It hasn't been easy or pleasant, but I'm glad I went through it, if only so that I could get to where I am now. I hope you might be able to say the same. Best of luck with your recovery.

* * *

Mutou –

The idea to contact you was all my idea. It was recommended by my psychiatrist earlier this year but I didn't really want to until now, I guess. I thought first I'd wait until after the year ended, then I told myself after graduation, but I guess I knew I'd always be putting it off, so I might as well just do it now.

I'm okay, I guess. I visited the school yesterday because the principal wanted to talk to me about my options. It was weird, being back in that building. There's a new basketball court? Principal seemed very proud about that, he kept boasting about it. The freshmen are even scrawnier than I remember. Mostly all the old teachers looked at me like they'd seen a ghost. Don't think I'd ever willingly put myself back in that place so I may just

Thanks for being so understanding. I don't mean any harm toward you, either. By the way, if you don't want to keep talking to me, just say so, or stop responding, or something. I can take the hint. I don't want you to get uncomfortable or feel obligated or anything.

Tetsu

PS – I do. I mean, I can. I spent a while hating you, then I spent a while longer hating myself, and then I just spent a year getting back into myself. I want to think I'm okay now.

* * *

Tetsu,

Good. I'm actually very glad you contacted me. And no, this isn't making me uncomfortable at all, and you're free to stop responding as well, whenever you get annoyed, or bored.

Yeah, Domino High's not really changed much though everybody wants to believe it has. I think they're planning on remodeling the swimming pool, too. I don't blame you for wanting to step right back out. I think all of us are ready to move onto new things, even if we're not sure what they are yet.

It sounds like you've been through a lot. I'm a bit hesitant considering our history, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I wouldn't mind lending an ear for you if that's what you need in your recovery. That is assuming you'd consider me in the first place. Again, whatever you need from me.

Yuugi

PS – So long as we're being therapeutic, I'd like to take this time to sincerely apologize. For the Shadow Game. I don't think I've said this yet. While I'm glad that it turned out all right for you in the end and I'm relieved you're okay now, I've realized how uncalled for the whole thing was. I can't claim complete control of my own actions with a clear conscience, but I know that's no excuse. I actually have wondered if I am to blame for your hospitalization, so hearing you're better now is relieving, but I needed to say that. I really am sorry.

* * *

Yuugi,

That's a really nice offer but we've already talked more than I'd expected, so I don't want to impose any more or anything. My therapist would probably say I've already fulfilled my requirement just by contacting you. Not that this is a chore. I don't really know what it is anymore.

I just remembered in an earlier letter you said you were going through stuff yourself. Sorry if this is a burden or anything while you work out all that. Hope it's going okay.

Tetsu

PS – It's okay. The game just scared me a bit. I didn't really know what was going on. I mean, it was fucked up, but don't beat yourself up about it. I'm not gonna come after your neck or anything.

* * *

Tetsu,

I'm glad you said that. I'd like it very much if we could just talk from a distance at least for the time being.

Yuugi

PS – I don't think I can ever tell you. At the time I challenged you I was going through another rough period of my own. I was having trouble controlling… myself, I guess you could say. And understanding myself. I've worked it out now, or at least I'm trying to. I'm kind of in the aftermath of something I've been going through for a long while, but there are still a whole set of new problems that come from the recovery process. I'm sure you know that though. It's complicated. I still only feel entirely comfortable talking about it with just a few people. I guess I'm just trying (very badly) to say you're not alone in feeling lost.

* * *

Yuugi,

Yeah, the whole school thing's a bit crap. Still need the stupid diploma to get anywhere, so I'll find some way around that.

I had to tell my therapist I've been talking to you on my own time, and now she recommends I tell you thanks again for contacting me when you didn't have to. I think I already did that. And to apologize again for what I did to you. I know I already did that though.

But you know it, right? You know I am sorry? I'm not just saying that.

Tetsu

PS – This is probably going to sound rude, but were you schizophrenic or something?

* * *

Tetsu,

What are you thinking of doing now?

Yes, I know. Tell your therapist I can honestly say we're square and it's all water under the bridge. Please tell me, though, and I hope you won't take offense but I'm genuinely curious and feel it's in my right to ask (and so long as we're being honest, I've been working up the courage to ask this since you first mentioned it): are you only sorry because you found someone who fought back?

Yuugi

PS – No, I'm not schizophrenic, and to my knowledge I never was. It wasn't a mental illness. Just a personal thing. I can't really get into it.

* * *

Yuugi,

Finding a job, I guess. See what's available to get my own place. Dunno who'll hire someone who was in an asylum, though.

Well so long as we're being honest, at first, yeah. I think that's a common thing with bullies. I just started realizing I was one. (Back then of course I thought I wasn't doing anything wrong. Or maybe I did but didn't want to admit it.) They only get sorry when they find a bigger one. Not that I'm calling you a bully. But… yeah.

Now, I don't know. Like I said, I spent a while being mad at you because you beat me and I was sorry about having my ass handed to me. Then I hated myself once I realized I deserved it. I was kind of a shit and all. Then, I don't know. I've just been working through things for the past year.

Getting kind of tired about talking about me, though. My whole recovery process thing is actually kind of boring, but my therapist likes to make me talk about it for hours in sessions anyway so I'm getting sick of it. I'll just tell her we talked about our relationship and stuff. How are you, though? Beyond the whole whatever it is you're going through?

Tetsu

PS – Okay. Cool. It's just that it seemed like the sort of thing an insane person might apologize for, even if they had no control over it. You're talking about that game incident as if you were crazy or something.

* * *

Tetsu,

Thank you for being honest. I kind of suspected as much. But at least you're past it.

Heh, all right. Well I'm not doing much right now. As you said, preparing for graduation; my test results have miraculously not turned out not be too terrible. I've had an employment offer that I'm considering, though I'm not sure if it was serious considering I know the employer pretty well. I'm applying for a few entrance exams but I'm not sure if I want to spend the next few years in school. If none of that works out I'll probably just keep working at my grandfather's game shop. Nothing exciting on this end, to be honest. I'm actually kind of in a holding period myself until I find out what I want to do.

Good luck with the job hunt. There's something out there. As for employers hiring former ward patients, stranger things have happened.

Yuugi

PS – It's a rather long story that I'm not sure I should get into. Not because I don't trust you, but it's a twisted situation that I was put in back in freshman year and I don't want to make this any more complicated than it already is.

* * *

Yuugi,

Well the job offer sounds like it could be big. Good luck with the exams and all.

This whole system stinks. Ever since I was released my parents and the counselors have been on my ass about applying to jobs but the only places people like me end up are working in fast food joints or mopping floors in crappy second education schools.

T

PS – Sorry I asked. Didn't mean to pry.

* * *

Tetsu,

I suppose so. I'm not sure if it's something I want to do. I'm actually not sure what I want do at all. A few months ago I thought I did, but like I mentioned, I'm in a weird holding position right now. I like the sound of an American gap year, and my grandfather's supportive, but I know it's not likely. I've just got to buckle down and make a decision. I think my lack of a response is going to put an expiration date on the offer soon, which doesn't help me feel less stressed about it.

Have you thought about where you'd like to work some day? (That question sounds a bit like something you'd ask a five year old.) I swear I'm not treating you like a kid. I'm sorry you're feeling a bit stressed about it. I thought I had it bad.

Yuugi

PS – No, considering what it did to you, you have a right to know. But for various reasons I just don't think it'd be appropriate for me to tell you. I know that doesn't really make any sense, but… still. I hope you understand.

* * *

Yuugi,

Just do what you want, dude. I think people freak out about this stuff but if all your options sound that good it looks like you don't have much place left to go but forward. Just close your eyes and pick one.

It's just dumb, I always wanted to be a cop and you probably knew this because I took the security guard thing so seriously, but I took it seriously for a reason, you know? Anyway I just heard they're making requirements now that applicants have to know how to duel. Something about giving the people they're arresting a fair chance of making their case through Duel Monsters. It's weird, I don't know. At any case I have to drop that cause I never learned how to play, the game got big while I was locked away and I never got the hang of it.

T

PS – I've been calling you Yuugi in most of these letters without asking if that's okay. So I just want to ask if that's okay, because I kind of just went with it after you started calling me by my first name. If it's not just let me know.

* * *

The name thing is fine.

Are you at all interested in learning?

Yuugi

* * *

Learn how to play Duel Monsters, you mean? I don't know. I guess it could be cool. It just seems like something people get without being taught. And I'm not going to Seto Kaiba's dumb school with a bunch of kids just to learn to play a card game.

Tetsu

* * *

If you're willing to learn, I don't think you'd have to.

I'm free this Thursday. If you'd like to get lunch and maybe talk, I could be at Domino Plaza around noon.

Yuugi

* * *

**MISSED CALL** 10:08AM  
TO: +044-643-9983  
FROM: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)

**NEW VOICEMAIL** 10:10AM  
_"Hi Ushio, it's Yuugi. Not sure if this is still your number, I took it from the old school directory. You've probably changed it, I'm just calling on the slim chance this may reach you. Uh. I guess it's unlikely. Anyway, um, I just got out of my doctor's appointment earlier than I thought so I can meet you sooner, around 11, in an hour or so if you're free. If not, no worries. I guess I'll just meet you at noon either way. Thanks, see you later."_

**[END OF RECORDED MESSAGE]  
****[DELETE MESSAGE? Y/N]  
****[AUTOMATIC FUNCTION: ****_Y_****]  
****[MESSAGE DELETED]**

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:17AM  
TO: +044-643-9983  
FROM: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
_Ushio? It's Yuugi. On the off_  
_chance you see this: I called_  
_earlier, not sure if you got my_  
_message. I got out of a thing I_  
_had to do sooner than I expected,_  
_if you wanted to meet earlier I'm_  
_free now._

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:20AM  
TO: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
FROM: Tetsu Ushio (+044-233-7504)  
_Hi Yuugi, this is my new number._  
_I set it up so messages from my_  
_old phone transfer to this one. I_  
_can't meet right now, I'm still on_  
_the bus back into the city. Noon_  
_still okay? Sorry._

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:22AM  
TO: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
FROM: Tetsu Ushio (+044-233-7504)  
_Also I set up my old phone to_  
_automatically send voicemails to_  
_this phone and then delete them_  
_so it doesn't take up space_  
_on the old phone, but for some_  
_reason it doesn't send them, just_  
_deletes. Still have to get the dumb_  
_thing fixed. Sorry again._

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:23AM  
TO: Tetsu Ushio (+044-233-7504)  
FROM: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
_No problem, thanks for getting_  
_back so quickly! I'll see you at_  
_noon. I'll be by the fountain._

**MISSED CALL** 11:25AM  
TO: +044-643-9983  
FROM: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)

**NEW VOICEMAIL** 11:31AM  
_"Ushio, I think you were right. From earlier, when you were talking about my options. I just wanted to say this, even if you never hear it. God, I hope you never hear it and you weren't lying about your phone deleting messages. This would be worth be a good laugh at me, I suppose. I just… yeah. It's just that I don't know if I'll ever really get over it, and truth be told I'm not entirely sure I can ever forget the past like I think you want to. Though obviously you would. It's just hard. I almost had a panic attack when I saw your first letter, it took me fifteen minutes to calm down and read it, I had to put it down and come back. That's stupid, right? It took me another hour to figure out what to say. You won't understand this, but you reaching out to me has kind of been like coming full circle with him, except that doesn't… make much sense, I guess…_

_"It's just that I don't know if your letter was a sign, or if I should have even responded. All the destiny stuff from before messed with my perception of things. I'm always second-guessing and wondering if I should've done this or that. With little, every day stuff now. As if deciding between which kind of green tea to get at the market will change the world. But all that's over now, and I only have to do what I want to do, right now, not what I think I should because other people are telling me to. So right now, I want to believe you mean well. I want to believe people do, generally, but the past few years have taught me a lot about being cautious with who you trust… but then, some people who I've fought against ultimately ended up becoming valuable friends, so I don't know what to believe. I don't know how to act when I see you again. He'd've probably told me to shred your letter, burn the scraps, flush the ashes down the toilet, and spit in the toilet for good measure. But I'm not him, is the thing. I'm me. And despite how much we've talked over the past few months, I still don't know who you are now… but I guess I'll find out in half an hour. God, this is weird. I'm talking to a machine. You'll never hear this. That's… good. Good._

_"Okay. I'll say this: Thank you for contacting me. I'm not sure why you did yet, if it's one big cosmic joke or if it's only you and me that matter with this. Still remains to be seen if this meeting will be a positive one, but thanks anyway. He wouldn't have done it, but maybe that's why I should. So thanks._

_"I'll see you in a bit."_

**[END OF RECORDED MESSAGE]  
****[DELETE MESSAGE? Y/N]  
****[AUTOMATIC FUNCTION: ****_Y_****]  
****[MESSAGE DELETED]**

* * *

"Yuugi!"

No longer concentrating on his deck, Yuugi raises his head with a prickling of dread. It's probably too early for Ushio – 11:52am, the clock reads, and he never struck him for a prompt guy – and at any rate, that voice sounded too familiar.

A spikey brown head appears out of the crowd milling around the movie theatre and heads toward him. "Yuugi?"

"Honda, hi." Yuugi eyes his motorcycle gloves. "What are you doing here?"

"Had to bring the bike in for a check-up at the shop." Honda jabs his thumb behind him at the dingy body repair shop squeezed between the theatre and a Burger King. "The exhaust pipe was acting up. What're you doing here? Prepping for a duel?"

"Oh. Uh. Sorta."

Honda frowned. "Sorta? It's not to do with Kaiba, is it?"

"No, it's not with him. It's – ah – " Yuugi can practically feel his brain whirring but no casual way to leave this conversation and contact Ushio to relocate within ten minutes is coming to him. God, he shouldn't have said it was a duel. Honda will probably want to stay to cheer him on. Ushio will probably recognize Honda and Honda will most definitely recognize Ushio. Ushio will believe Yuugi didn't trust him enough to meet him on his own and brought a friend to protect him, and Honda may not leave and Yuugi'll have messed everything up because he picked a public place and this entire thing will go down the tank –

"Mutou?"

The voice comes from over his left shoulder this time and Honda stiffens beside him, raising himself up to his full height. A snarl is on the corner of his mouth and he opens it to say –

"Oh. Uh – " Yuugi turns to find Ushio a few steps away, certainly just as tall as he remembered but skinner with a noticeably unhealthy pallor; given his own recent growth spurt his overall presence feels less imposing (and Yuugi's first thought is _I could outrun him if it turns nasty, it's fine_ before he chastises himself – maybe this is a bad idea). He is, for a moment, startled into silence over the whole scene.

"I'll just come back," Ushio says, and his voice sounds croakish, as though he's grown unaccustomed to using it.

"No, stay," Yuugi says in the same moment that Honda says, "Yeah, that'd be best." They exchanged a glance.

"It's fine, Yu – Mutou," Ushio says.

"Stay," Yuugi says as firmly as he could without trying to make it sound like an order. "Honda – "

"What is this?" He doesn't sound accusatory, but there's still a confrontational look in his friend's expression that Yuugi doesn't care to see.

"We're meeting," Ushio says slowly. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, you're fine," Yuugi repeats. "Honda, we're good."

"Is this a joke?" And that's anger; so much for diffusing the confrontation before it could happen. "Yuugi – "

"Honda," Yuugi says quietly, and at his tone his friend stops talking. "It's fine. We planned this. We're fine."

Honda looks about ready to say something, but he's interrupted by Ushio's hesitant, "Mutou, we can, er… just call it off. It was a long shot. Thanks for the offer anyway."

"There's no reason I can't still help you," Yuugi says.

"I don't understand this," Honda says slowly.

"Neither do I, actually," comes Ushio's mutter from behind.

Honda snaps, "Nobody asked you," at the same time Yuugi says, "Really, Honda." At this, his friend looks at him, and Yuugi continues, more quietly, "Can you trust me on this?"

"I trust you," he says eventually, "but I don't trust him."

"Can trusting me be enough for now?" He says it quietly, but firmly. He won't back down on this, not now. He has the chance to change things and make a difference on his own, this time. He'll have to be fine.

"All right," Honda says eventually, with his eyes flickering one last time toward Ushio before focusing back on Yuugi. "Yeah. You have my number in case…" He clears his throat. "Just in case. I'll call you tonight."

"I'll call _you_," Yuugi replies. "Tonight. Don't worry about it."

Honda gives an affirmative noise, then looks once more at Ushio and doesn't nod, exactly, but jerks his head a little in what may be a passable motion of grudging acceptance. "All right," he says as he began walking backwards, and it finally feels like a pleasant ending to a conversation, "see you." With that, he turns and disappears into the crowd, picking up speed as he goes.

He'll be calling Jounouchi within minutes, of course, but that doesn't matter. Yuugi has no intention of hiding this from his friends forever, just until… well.

"Look, if this is a problem, we don't have to," Ushio starts saying now. "I knew it was stupid. I'm not gonna get into the middle of your friends or whatever. I'll just go."

Yuugi isn't surprised to see him to have second thoughts after a confrontation with Honda – in fact, he had been expecting anyway, and had prepared himself for Ushio to stand him up, though of course he had hoped otherwise.

"I wouldn't have agreed to meet you in public unless I was prepared to deal with it," he says slowly, but honestly. "I'm fine if you're fine. If you're having second thoughts – "

"I'm not. I just thought – you would be."

"Well I'm not either." He smiles, or tries to. He can't quite feel entirely comfortable, and he's not sure if he ever will, but it's better than feeling unnerved, or worse, fearful, and that is something, for once.

The lack of weight around his neck is not an absence, he reminds himself for the hundredth time in four months, it is a starting point. A clean slate, a fresh start.

He can do this.

"Yeah." Ushio clears his throat. "You look uh – well. Taller."

Yuugi feels he should be responding to a sort-of compliment better than "Thank you?" but isn't quite sure how.

"I mean." Ushio shrugs. "I saw the news and stuff. After your last letter, I looked you up some more. You're a big-shot duelist now. Apparently nobody told me while I was in the cli – away, I don't know. But you've probably got better things to do with your time. It's fine."

"You didn't sucker me into this," Yuugi says, and he tries his best to sound kind, not as though he's talking to a child. "I – yeah, my name's kind of big now. I don't mind though, come on, I offered." He smiles again, and this time, it feels better, comes easier. "I reserved us a room at Kaiba's arena. Lunch first, though. I know a good place down the road close to it. If we hurry and eat we may make it in time so Mokuba won't give our slot to someone else."

Ushio nods and allows Yuugi to lead the way. They dodge other pedestrians flocking out of the movie theatre and walk in silence for a few blocks, which is a bit disappointing since Yuugi's been figuring he's done a pretty good job thus far of keeping it casual and not starting to hyperventilate or anything.

"Tell me the truth," Ushio says suddenly as they stop for a red light, "do you think I can do it?"

Caught off guard, Yuugi has the answer he wants to hear on his tongue: _Yes, of course, you can do it, I'm sure_ - the answer he would've immediately given three years ago to satisfy, to placate the bully, to minimize any potential for a violent response, but that's not who he is now. In truth, no, he doesn't think Ushio can do it. He still associates him with the feeling of his own heart racing and the automatic urge to clutch his wallet. Tetsu Ushio, the cop. Inspector. Captain. In charge of maintaining order and peace and ideally not being, well… himself. He doesn't think it's likely at all. At least not presently.

"I think maybe," he starts, "after a little while. I don't think you're ready now. You just got out of the hospital and all. but then I don't know who you are right now and I don't know who you want to be."

"I just out of a mental ward," he mutters, "nobody really knows either of those things."

Yuugi can relate to that. "I guess I can't say, then. Maybe only you can determine that."

Ushio says nothing to this, and Yuugi wonders for a long moment if he's said the wrong thing. They walk in silence until Kaiba's Duel Arena appears between the office buildings on the right. Yuugi's favorite pizza place is wedged in between the entry gate and Anzu's local dancewear shop; they're joining the short line on the pavement when Ushio says suddenly, "This game. Is it all that hard?"

"No, not at all."

He scoffs. "You can say that because you're the champion and all, though."

Yuugi grins. "Well maybe a little. It's really not that bad. There are a just a lot of rules, but the concept is pretty simple. I'll teach you over lunch with some cards."

"You brought your deck?" Ushio looks a bit wary. "I didn't bring anything. I wasn't actually sure if you were serious."

"Yeah, 'course. You can borrow cards from Mokuba, they've got plenty at the arena."

"Yeah, who is that? You mentioned that guy before."

"Kaiba's little brother."

"What, the CEO's? I didn't know he had a brother. You're close with him?"

"Closer than I am to Seto, I guess. Mokuba's easier to get along with. Bigger Kaiba isn't that bad, he just holds people at a distance."

"You're close to both Kaibas and you're the Duel Monsters champion? You could run the world with that, probably."

Yuugi laughed, then stopped, shocked upon the realization of how easy this seemed now. Natural, even.

"Well. I'll teach you the game and then you can take it from there." Yuugi pulls open the door to the restaurant as the people in line before them are slowly led to their tables. Then, feeling as if he may have presumed a different outcome to the end of this outing than Ushio had, he adds, "You don't have to play, you can just watch. I don't think the Domino Police will want the best in the business, that's what tournaments are for. They just need you to know the basics; playing fairly is probably their focus, so I won't teach you to cheat."

His companion snorts. "Speaking of careers," he said, a bit too-casually, as if looking to change the subject, "any decision on the job offer?"

Yuugi flashes back to the moment he'd opened Seto Kaiba's terse letter asking him to consider the position as a game and test development associate at KaibaCorp. It's still sitting on his desk where he'd left it. He isn't sure if it's what he wants, to be honest, but then, since last December he hasn't been sure of much anymore.

What else is he going to do, take a gap year? Work at the store? The latter seems more likely. Grandpa could use some extra labor. And again, three years – no, even three months ago, he would have presumed post-graduation life would consist of exactly that. Making a profit off of games, the sound of it isn't a bad life for a guy like him. It's what Grandpa has done, after all… but even that thought feels weird. He doesn't want to follow his grandfather for the rest of his life.

Not for the first time, he seriously considers professional gaming, and not for the last time, he dismisses it immediately. That would have been his other se - Atem. That would have been Atem's choice. It shouldn't have to be his.

_The world's not going to end if you make the wrong choice, partner,_ he imagines the pharaoh telling him. He remembers the smirk he'd use, the challenge in his eyes, the encouragement. Most of all, though, he remembers the love. _Do what Yuugi Mutou wants to do. You know what that is better than anyone._

Just as the couple in line before them are serviced, Yuugi's phone buzzes; he checks the screen.

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:20AM  
TO: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
FROM: Katsuya Jounouchi (+044-621-4399)  
_Katsuya Jounouchi and Hiroto_  
_Honda, reporting for duty on_  
_the (Ex?-)Bully Defense Squad._  
_Will stand by for further_  
_instructions if delivered. Until_  
_then, we trust our commanding_  
_officer to know what he's doing._

He opens a new message to respond but the phone buzzes again with another text before he can type two letters in response:

**INCOMING TEXT** 11:20AM  
TO: Yuugi Mutou (+044-925-5003)  
FROM: Hiroto Honda (+044-621-4399)  
_Seriously man, just say the_  
_word and we're there._  
_ATTCH.: IMG_2793_

A photo of their thumbs up against what looked like one of those plastic trays they have in a fast-food sandwich shops. Scrawled in ketchup across the tray read _BURGER WORLD 7, ARCADE AFTER, NO ARGMNTS_ with the _TS_ crammed into the side of the tray, because, of course, they'd run out of room.

Yuugi smiles. They understood. He'll be fine.

Coming back to the conservation, and Ushio's question, he says finally, "Not yet, but I will."

When the waitress comes to greet them, Yuugi says, "Two, please," and she smiles and leads them inside.

* * *

**Notes: **This fic is not meant to be an argument that Yuugi _should_ forgive Ushio, or that all who have been bullied should forgive their tormentors. I don't see Yuugi and Ushio fixing all their problems with a single meeting, and I think it may actually be unhealthy for them to become bosom buddies immediately after the events of the canon. They both have a lot of self-growth to work on individually, but I thought it may be interesting to see how they parallel and relate to each other after DM. Even without the later series as proof, I think they each get where they need to go in the end, personally, but that's just me. I leave it up to interpretation.


End file.
